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Device encryption can be a great way to keep your data secure in case it falls into the wrong hands. For many users, however, it can be overkill and there's usually a performance hit to a device that's been encrypted. Using a PIN code to lock the device is usually an effective deterrent and software tools like Find My iPhone and Android Device Manager can help track, lock, or wipe lost devices.

Unfortunately for Kindle Fire HDX owners, there's no app available that's comparable to Find My iPhone or Android Device Manager. If you want to be extra cautious with your data or if you're using a Kindle Fire HDX in an enterprise environment, here's how to encrypt it:

Step 1: Make sure you have the latest version of Fire OS installed, then fully charge your Kindle Fire HDX.

Your Kindle Fire HDX will reboot, then begin encrypting. Depending on the amount of data stored on your Kindle Fire HDX, the process could take up to an hour to complete, though our test Kindle only took 12 minutes.

Keep in mind that there's no way to decrypt your Kindle Fire HDX once it's been encrypted. To remove the encryption, you'll have to perform a factory reset and erase all your data. Additionally, if the wrong encryption password is entered 30 consecutive times, your Kindle Fire HDX will automatically be reset to factory defaults and your data erased.